Valentine's Day aka fanfic 9
by hollybridgetpeppermint
Summary: Okay, I'll be brutally honest here. This one has a REALLY lame ending. I couldn't think of anything. However, the rest of it is okay, I think, and it has one or two little funny parts, if you like those... WARNING: ARTEMISHOLLY!


BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!

Holly sighed and slapped her hand down on her alarm clock. "I'm awake," she muttered as she swung her legs off her futon. "Ugh…maybe only half-awake."

After a nice, refreshing shower, she felt better. She got breakfast and got ready to go, then discovered that she had a little leisure time before it was time to go (for once). She plopped down on her couch. She needed that leisure time. For the last little while, she'd been working twice as hard as ever, and she was about to have a nervous breakdown or something. Of course, that wasn't the only reason for her nervous breakdown. She had a bigger problem than that. A certain blue-eyed, black-haired Mud Boy had apparently made a permanent home in her mind—and her list of people she was friends with. But he didn't stop there. Oh no. As usual, he had gone farther than was normal. Yes, he had, in fact, made his way from there into the slot marked "Crush." Holly groaned. Why, oh why, did she have to like a Mud Boy? They were a different species, for Pete's sake!

She shook thoughts of Artemis from her head and picked up her book. She read for a while, then went to work.

When Holly got to work (which included successfully sneaking past Root's office so he wouldn't yell at her), she settled down in her office chair and started to do paperwork. _Ugh, boring_, she thought. After a minute, she went to look through her inbox to find something she'd gotten yesterday, and noticed there was an envelope sitting on top of the papers. She turned it over, thinking it was probably just a tax form or something (yes, fairies did pay taxes) and noticed the writing. _Holly Short_, in a hand she'd never seen before—well, she thought she'd never seen it before, but it did look sort of familiar. Curious, she opened it and read:

Dear Holly,

Roses are red,

Violets are blue,

Sugar is sweet,

And so are you.

I know this is just about the oldest verse you can find, but it expresses my feelings perfectly. I love you, Holly. I know that sounds a little abrupt, especially since I've never written to you before, but I have known you for a long time. It's Valentine's Day, and I seized the chance to tell you this. You'd kill me if you found out who I was, so I won't tell you. At least now I know I know I've told you how I feel.

Love,

Your Secret Admirer

Holly was puzzled. It was Valentine's Day? She checked the calendar on her computer. Sure enough, it was. Well! She didn't know who this could be, though. It wasn't Trouble. This wasn't his style, and besides, she didn't think he liked her. That was a relief. But she couldn't think who else it could be. She resolved to ask Foaly later who might have written it, and went back to work. Well…not exactly. She mused on the letter instead.

She was interrupted by a beep from her com-screen. A moment later, Root appeared on the screen.

"Captain."

"Yes, Commander?" she said, trying to look and sound as though she had been doing paperwork, and not sitting slumped in her chair, and failing miserably.

The commander sighed. He was worried about Holly. She hadn't been herself for quite some time now… He shook these thoughts from his head and turned his attention back to the task at hand.

"Captain Short, come to the Ops Booth. We have a situation."

Holly groaned. "Yes, sir," she said. At least a situation was better than doing boring old paperwork, she thought, and pushed herself up from her chair.

When she got to the Ops Booth, she found both Root and Foaly waiting for her with somber faces.

"Hey, Holly," said Foaly, with uncharacteristic gravity.

"Hi. So what's this situation?" said Holly, concerned with her friend's tone.

"Well…." said Foaly hesitatingly.

"Oh, spit it out, donkey," said Root, beginning to turn red.

"Well…Holly, you're not going to like this."

"What?" said Holly. She was beginning to be impatient herself.

"Ummm…Fowl is back."

"Fowl is…"

Suddenly it all clicked into place. Holly stopped in mid-sentence. Her eyes grew wide. She went pale, then red, then pale again. Root and Foaly were, of course, confused but concerned.

"What is is, Holly?" asked the commander.

Holly didn't answer. Instead, she pulled the crumpled valentine from her pocket, where she had stuffed it when Root had called her, and handed it wordlessly to them. Foaly took it, and they read it together. Then Commander Root looked up at Holly, who was standing where she had been a minute earlier, still in shock.

"I don't get what this has to do with..." Root said. And stopped. He opened and closed his mouth several times, as though he was trying to say something, but couldn't force it out. Finally, he managed to say, in a voice that most certainly wasn't his own, "Are you trying to tell me what I think you're trying to tell me?"

"I don't know," answered Holly. "If what you think I'm trying to tell you is what I think you think I'm trying to tell you, then I think so."

"Wha-aaattt?" said the commander, more confused than ever.

"I don't know. Why don't you try telling me what you think I'm telling you so I'll know if what I'm telling you is what you think I'm telling you or not?"

"Ummm...what's that supposed to mean?"

"Forget it."

"Look," said Root, who was getting impatient. "Are you or are you not telling me that Fowl...that Fowl sent this?"

"Um...yeah," said Holly miserably, flushing red. The commander saw the flush and suddenly looked alarmed.

"And do you...do you like that fact? I mean, do you like him back?"

"No," Holly told him, averting her eyes. But her flush deepened, and Root knew otherwise.

"Okay," he said. "Well...we have to decide what to do about this."

"I'll tell you what to do!" said Holly, with a sudden return to her normal personality. "We'll go up there and tell him to get his nose out of our business, that's what we'll do!"

"Hmmm...that'll work, I suppose."

"But, Holly," Foaly protested. "I mean, if you like him..."

"I don't!" snapped Holly. "Stop saying I do!"

"Fine," said the centaur. "I was just trying to help." Holly sighed.

"Sorry," she told him. "I guess I'm still in shock."

"It's okay," said Foaly. "Come on, let's tell that little mosquito to bug off."

They eventually decided to let Holly go alone, and have Root and Foaly stay underground and monitor her. Root went to do something-or-other, and Foaly stayed and helped her get set up with equipment.

"Here's an iris-cam. Holly, _do_ you like him?"

"Do I have clearance for the iris-cam?"

"Of course. Answer the question."

"What question?"

He stopped fiddling with equipment and turned to face her. "Don't play dumb with me, Holly. It won't work."

"No."

"No?" he asked, raising an eyebrow and looking disbelieving.

"N..." Halfway through the answer, she changed her mind. Foaly was pretty much her best friend, after all. "I...I think so," she confessed miserably. Foaly looked concerned, but nodded and went back to his work.

"That's what I thought. Okay, here. A Neutrino."

"Why do I need a Neutrino?"

"Just in case. You never know with Fowl. This could all be a trap."

Holly nodded. He was right. Yet, somehow...she almost hoped it wasn't.

Just then Root came in. "All set?" he asked. When she nodded again, he looked pleased. "Good. Proceed to the pod, then. I will go to the Ops Booth and wait for Foaly, who will escort you to the flares. Clear?"

"Yessir," said Holly.

"Good." With that, Holly and Foaly hurried to the pods, and the commander went to the Ops Booth. Upon arriving at chute E1, Holly strapped herself into the pod. Foaly looked at her.

"Holly."

"What?"

"Listen...don't let your feelings get in your way, okay?"

"What do you mean?"

"Just...be careful. Remember it could be a trap."

She nodded, and Foaly hauled the door across the entrance, sealing her into the pod.

When Holly got to the surface, she stepped out of the pod immediately. After unhooking a set of Hummingbirds from the rack (which Root had gotten her special clearance for to try and cheer her up), she came out into the sweet night air. It was a beautiful night, but she was in no mood to admire scenery. She put the wings on and flew across the green Irish countryside until she came to Fowl Manor. She found a windowsill, and peered in. She appeared to be looking at a study. Just as she realized that it was Artemis' study, a chair moved, and she realized that he was in it. She tapped on the glass, and the Mud Boy looked up. A startled expression crossed his face, just for a moment, before his normal deadpan settled into its place. He went to the window and opened it.

"Holly! What are you doing here?" His tone betrayed the fact the he was confused, even if his face didn't show it.

"Just let me in, Mud Boy," she told him, trying to sound like her usual self.

"All right, come in."

He stood aside to let her in, and she climbed over the sill and tumbled into the room. As she righted herself, she became aware that he was staring at her with bewilderment written all over his features. This quickly vanished the minute she was standing.

"Now then," said Artemis. He was very nervous. Could she have figured out about the note? _No, that's ridiculous_, he chided himself. "Why are you here?"

"I..." Holly began. Just then, Root interrupted from her com set.

"Get on with it already, Captain!" Holly did that.

"Fowl," she said. "Tell me if I'm wrong. You have somehow recovered from the mindwipe, that much is obvious. Did you, or did you not, send me a note?"

"What—what kind of note?" asked Artemis nervously.

"Er...I think you know perfectly well," said Holly, embarrased. "Now...did you, or not?"

"Um...yes," admitted the boy, flushing. "I...did."

"And...why?"

"Because...because...well, because of what I said in the note."

"We came to find out...well, to tell you to...what I mean is..." She tried once more, and managed to force it out. "I came to tell you to mind your own business." She kicked herself mentally. That hadn't sounded at all like she meant it.

Artemis was confused momentarily, then suddenly he got it. Foaly, at least, was listening, and probably the commander as well.

"Do you have anything to say?" asked Holly suddenly. "Any...questions or anything before I leave?"

"Just one."

"Well?" she asked.

"I would like to know...that is, I was wondering...whether you would say the same thing to me as I said in that note?"

"What do you mean?"

"Do you...do you like me back?"

"Um..."

"You tell him, Captain!" said a voice from her com set. It was Root. Holly cringed. She had forgotten he and Foaly were listening.

"No," she told Artemis flatly. He looked at her, then sighed.

"All right. You may go now."

She started to fly back out. All of a sudden, the Mud Boy's voice floated out behind her.

"Holly."

She turned around. "What?"

"Come back in for a minute."

She came, swooping in through the window. "What is it?"  
He reached onto her helmet and switched off her com set.

"Hey!" she protested. "I need that...you can't just..." Then, feebly: "Turn that back on."

"Just a minute. I have to ask you something."

Holly sighed. "Fine. But make it quick."

"Do you?"

"Do I what?"

It was Artemis' turn to sigh. "Don't play dumb, Holly. It doesn't suit you."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Look, Holly," he said. "If you don't want to answer, just say so. But just to make it all clear, here's what I'm saying. If I asked the same question that I asked a few minutes ago, would I get a different answer?"

"I...I don't know," said Holly, confused. She wanted to tell him...but hadn't Root ordered her to tell him to go away? But since when did she, Holly Short, follow orders? With a sudden surge of resolution, she looked him straight in the eye. "I mean...yes. Yes, you would get a different answer."

"And," continued Artemis, looking at her intently, "what would that answer be?"

"Yes. Yes, the answer is yes. Yes! Yes, I do!" said Holly, suddenly elated. Who cared about orders? Who cared if she was fired? She realized this, and repeated her answer. "Yes!"

Artemis looked relieved. "Good. That's all I wanted to know. Thank you."

Holly looked at him. "I wish I could stay and talk, but...I can't. Someone's expecting me back soon."

"All right. I hope I will see you later. Goodbye."

Holly grinned and flew out the open window, feeling much better than she had before.

"Captain!" said Root when she arrived back at headquarters. "What happened? Why did you switch your com-set off?"

"I—I didn't think I'd need it," lied Holly uncomfortably. "After all, I was only flying. The mission was over."

"But that's against regulations!" said the commander, looking at her closely. What he saw did not reassure him. "Now, what really happened?"

Holly looked at Foaly helplessly. She saw him give a slight nod, and his mouth formed the words, "Tell him." She took a deep breath.

"Commander?"

"What?"

"Do you remember earlier when you asked me if I liked what Fowl said in the note?"

"Yes," said Root, with a sigh. He'd expected this, really. It was just that he'd hoped it might be otherwise.

"Well...I've changed my mind. I do like it."

"So...in other words..."

"Yes." Holly answered his unspoken question. "I...I'm sorry. I'll go get my things, shall I?" She started to walk out of the room, but the commander stopped her.

"What are you talking about?"

"Well...you're going to fire me, aren't you?"

"Don't be ridiculous, Captain...I knew all along."

"You—you did?" said Holly, flustered.

"Of course," Root told her. "It was kind of...kind of...oh, what's the word I'm looking for?"

"Obvious?" Foaly interrupted. When Root nodded, Foaly gave a short laugh. "Oh, it was obvious, all right. The way you acted just gave it all away." He didn't mention that she had told him, for which Holly was grateful.

"Yes, it certainly was obvious," the commander agreed. "For once in his life, the donkey is right." At this, Foaly turned to him with an injured expression.

"Julius! I'm always right!"

Root snorted. "Yeah. Once in a blue moon. Once every other blue moon, more like."

Foaly sighed, but turned to Holly. He got enough opportunities to tease Root, and right now, his friend's happiness was at stake.

"So what are we going to do about it?"

Holly looked at the commander. "Permission to go back up to the surface, sir?"

Root grinned and nodded. "Permission granted, Captain."

Holly looked at him with a smile. "Thank you," she whispered. Then she went off to the flares.

There was silence in the room for a moment after she had gone. Then, suddenly, Root looked at Foaly.

"She forgot to ask when the next flare was!" he said, chuckling. "You'd better go after her."

"Oh, shoot! She's probably already tried to get on one, too. In her state right now, I wouldn't be surprised if it was the wrong one! Gotta go!" He raced after Holly. Root could hear his yells fading away down the corridor. "Holly! Holly, wait! You need to get on the right pod! Holly!"

Holly, once she was safely on the surface (which included Foaly pulling her off the pod that went to Seoul, Korea), grabbed some wings and flew off to Fowl Manor. She was very willing to admire scenery this time, and did, taking deep breaths of the sweet surface air, stopping and hovering to look at every beautiful thing that she saw. When she finally got to the house, she went back up to the study window. Artemis was still there, typing away at his computer. She took a deep breath and tapped on the glass. Then she felt as though she was experiencing deja vu. The same expression came to the boy's face, again only for a moment. He came over to the window once again, now with his blank look firmly fixed on his face.

"Holly! Why are you here? Did you forget something, or am I suspected of sending another piece of mail that wasn't supposed to get to the LEP?"

"Neither. Let me in, please." He stood aside, and she swooped in.

"Why are you here, then?" Artemis asked once she was safely inside.

"I came to tell you that...that Root didn't fire me because of you after all."

"He didn't?"

"No," she said. "I thought he would, but he didn't. In fact, all he did when I told him was give me permission to come back up here."

"Oh..." Artemis couldn't think of anything else to say. What was there? All that needed to be said had been said. All he did was smile at Holly. She returned the smile.

While they had been talking, the sun had been slowly creeping up the horizon. Now it was up in full. Artemis noticed this, and quickly shut the blinds so that the rays wouldn't harm Holly. Then he motioned her to follow him.

"Come on, let's go have some breakfast. Then we can go down to LEP Headquarters—I assume it's okay," he said. When she nodded, he kept going. "Okay. After breakfast, we can go down there to stay out of the way of my parents. They can't see you, after all, and I can talk to Foaly and the commander." Then he grabbed her by the hand and pulled her out of the room, and they went to do just that. They were both as happy as they could possibly be.


End file.
